The arillas.com Forum

[justphil]

For people who sign up to our forum, it can seem quite daunting at first. It was for me, anyway. But contained herein are so many amazing connections and so much information about Arillas, its people, its visitors, accommodation and lifestyle. And the ability to connect to people you have met there.

I often wander through the past posts by clicking on the HOME tab, and then my favourites are General Gossip and Tell Us Your Story. And of course Arillas Today in Arillas General Information. It is truly amazing to find such a diversity of subjects, viewpoints and knowledge on offer. And so many beautiful pictures.

We have been described as a clique, but cliques exclude and we do not. Anyone interested in Arillas can find friendship and support on here. Yes it is dominated by people like me who know Arillas so well and have chosen to spend as much time there as possible. But it is a great read and you soon fit in if you want to.

I am posting this in General Information so those who see it might decide to give it a try. It is a complete credit to its owner, Dimitris Kourkoulos who owns and runs the Brouklis taverna and also this website. Over the two years I have been a member, it has been an enormous source of pleasure to me, and to many others as well.

Long may we all continue

Phil

[MaryH]

I agree with  you Phil. When I first signed up to the Forum, I didn't post anything for a while. Then one Saturday I posted about why I love Arillas and how it helps me through a horrible event in  my family. Now I feel like I have made several true and long lasting friends.  You and Jen are two of them, Viv and Pete, Martin W , Sharon F and now Connie. Sorry if I missed anyone out.

Take Care

Mary

[sunflower]

Hi Mary,
Thank you for thinking of me as a long-lasting friend,
the feeling is mutual !! Hope we'll meet in person next year!!
Love Connie x

[vivian]

Hmmm, Hope I have this right and havent forgotten any body, but when I first joined the forum there were 8 to 10 people on so it wasn't so daunting there was Eileen, Harold, Norm & Sandy, Dimitris Brouklis (who ever he is hehee) Neill & Sandy Mick & Jill and Bruce & Lynne think Malky may have been around as well. If I was to join now with all you lot on (meant nicely ) I would most proberly have watched for a few weeks before joining in the chat. Narf glad I did come on. Love Viv

[martin-w]

Going on forums was not for me. The Arillas site was my first. I am so glad I did!
Phil you are so right, I have met so many wonderful people on these friendly and informative posts. It's great to be able to chat and keep in touch throughout the year. Viv and Pete, Mary and all you others too numerous to mention, you know who you are!
Dimitris, we are so very lucky to have this site and we are all very grateful to you for running it so well and all the time you devote to it.
Efkhareesto polee!
Martin.

[Sara]

I echo what everyone else has already said. I love the forum. It took me a little while to start adding to it myself, but now I like to contribute often, in my own little way. We all have [at least] one thing in common & thats Arillas. Its great to be able to share our experiences & photos & dreams. Like Phil, my favourites are General Gossip & Tell us your Story where you can chat about anything & everything. Thanks to forum members such as Eggy & his great sense of humour & Terry for his brilliant video clips, the forum can really brighten up your day.
I too have made many friends via the forum & have since met a few. Everyone is so genuine & kind hearted.
Thank you Dimitris for arillas.com & for bringing us all together.

Sara

[kevin.g]

the forum is fab..so many good freinds who share a special place,from all over the country and abroad,,,,,yammas ..

[justphil]

Doing a trawl of ancient posts (sad yes, I know already) I found this about kelftiko:

kleftika
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2004, 12:50:56 AM » Quote 

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The origin of this dish, goes back to the Cypriot freedom fighters of the 19th.Century that lived in the mountain. They had to prepare their stolen meat, the Kleftiko, neither that some could smell it, nor that it could be seen. Though they baked it closed in special earthenware pottery, that they had buried under the ground.
I had this beatiful dish in Cyprus, I'll have another when I visit Greece this year for the first time.

Apparently there are two spellings, Kleftiko & Kleftika, the former being food.

"Kleftika", means kleft-songs. "Kleft" means thief, and refers to the brave men that lived in the mountains during the Ottoman occupation, fighting their oppressors.

These songs originate from Parnassos, the south Peloponnese and Pindos and were youthful ones about fighting back, bravity, the klefts lonlieness and the solitude of shepherds.

To this day, just as then, the songs are sung "kathista", sitting around a table and they have certain rules:

• Each musical turn represents a textline and a half
• The beginning of the second textline is thus repeated twice
eg. "The young lad was yearning freedom, and he said
and he said, let's get together"
• Meaningless sounds and consonants are added in the lyrics
eg. lelele, dididamdamdididididam



« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2004, 01:10:59 AM » Quote 

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That was an excellent description of Kleftiko this is what I insist telling my
Customers when they ask me why we do not do this meal in our Taverna.
The reason is that we are specialised in our local "Arillas cuisine" which has no records for Kleftico . Actually I had never heard of it.
It is though very often served in the Greek-Cypriot Restaurants in Great Britain.

However it came to Corfu with the demands of the British visitors and now it is established as a must for most of the local taverns that are visited mostly by tourists.
Never the less If you steal a lamb or a goat while you are in Arillas, then bring it to me and my father will cook it for you, according to the right traditional way. But remember' it has to be stolen.
Otherwise you cannot call it kleftiko.

Best Regards

Dimitris Kourkoulos

What a fabulous read. Five years ago, and still fascinating.

Phil

[GaryS]

Wonderful read Phil.

Arillas is such a wonderful place and the website and forum almost act as a steam iron. By using it you can iron out all those little creases of doubt about your holiday. Where to eat, best bits, cash machines, people, hire of anything. Then once you have visited the forum becomes a meeting place to talk about your happy times, best bits and this gives the next Newbies the information they need and so the cycle continues. Wonder who will have the first 1 millionth post.......possibly phil

[sunflower]

Hi GazCaz,
I've said it before, and I'll say it again:
Once you've been to Arillas, there really is no need to
go anywhere else, is there?

Last year I went to Tenerife for a week in March, just to escape
the awful climate in Denmark, and I felt SO homesick, not for
Denmark but for Corfu. So then I knew where to go in the future!!

I've met some wonderful people in Arillas, and since I've joined the
Forum I've got to know even more, whom I'm looking forward to meet.
Best regards Connie. Denmark.

[GaryS]

Hi Connie. You must love Corfu, we have been to Copenhagen and thought it was great, but it takes a lot to beat Corfu. When are you next in Arillas?

Gary ad Carolyn

[sunflower]

Hi Gary and Carolyn,
Greetings from a very cold morning in Denmark.
We had the first frost last night, brrr....
I live in a Village north of Copenhagen, it's a very
beautiful place, but the climate is killing me!!

As I can't book a flight before after New Year I don't
know for sure, but I'm planning to return to Arillas
mid-June and mid-September. Hope to meet you all.
Connie.